JUNE 17, 2001

Stewart fears for British Grand Prix future

SIR JACKIE STEWART has revealed his fears that the British Grand Prix could be dropped from the calendar next year, in a report in a British Sunday tabloid newspaper.

Stewart, speaking in the NEWS OF THE WORLD newspaper, said there is a risk that the British Grand Prix could be wiped off the agenda if an investigation from the British Government's Monopolies Commission does not rule in their favor.

The Monopolies Commission is investigating the British Racing Drivers' Club's (BRDC) deal with Octagon to host the British Grand Prix at Silverstone for the next 15 years.

The BRDC, of which Stewart is chairman, own the Silverstone circuit and Octagon own the rights to host the event from 2002, so the two parties struck a deal last December.

But the deal is under investigation and the worse case scenario is that it could be deemed unfair and broken up - leaving the future of the British round of the World Championship in tatters.

Stewart said in the newspaper: "The biggest risk is that, potentially, we could lose the British Grand Prix over this. If complications rise and we lose it, we will lose it once only.

"There is a race in Moscow waiting in the wings, another in the Far East and several other places around the globe just waiting to stage a race. If our race goes abroad, even for a season, it may never come back. There is a potential danger and we have got to be very, very careful."